Wild
Wild - What does it conjure up for you? Is it a moment standing at the edge of a raging sea or being lifted up and spat out of a whirling tornado; running for your life through city streets or coming face to face with a wolf; the animal within that can’t always be tamed or the wilderness at the edge of your home?
‘Wild’ is a theatre production celebrating what Wild means to us, in the natural world, in our towns and cities, and within ourselves. Weaving together stories collected from over 70 people across rural, urban and seaside locations, it invites the audience to reflect on their own definitions of Wild, fostering a deeper appreciation of both nature and human nature.
Featuring original songs, immersive soundscapes and rich storytelling, 'Wild' is a vibrant, moving, captivating show that takes you on a journey of emotions from exhilarating fear to childlike joy, and will leave you wondering... what is your 'Wild'?
‘Wild’ was the second year of a two-year project partnering with community gardens across the Black Country. We worked closely with the gardens that had been involved in year one to gather responses to the theme of “wild” through conducting interview with the local people who visit, work at and volunteer at the gardens.
Wild toured the Black Country in Autumn 2024, and toured nationally in Autumn 2025.
The Creative Team
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Holly Alanna Williams is a Birmingham-based performer and visual artist. She specialises in acting, vocal performance, poetry, photography and other multi-disciplinary art forms. She has gained various performing arts accreditations including a Distinction in Individual Acting Skills from Trinity College London.
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Graeme Rose is a performer and theatre-maker from Birmingham. A co-founder of Stan’s Cafe and The Resurrectionists, he has collaborated with many companies across the West Midlands and beyond, touring original theatre to audiences around the world. Previous projects with BCT include ‘Webb Dives In’ (a canal-side, brass-band oratorio with The Resurrectionists, 2000), the War Caravan in EAT! (with Birmingham Rep, 2011), My Big Fat Cowpat Wedding (with Kali Theatre, 2014-16) and Fred Jeffs: The Sweetshop Murder (with Birmingham Rep, 2019) - a re-investigation of the unsolved, Sandwell murder of Graeme’s great uncle.
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Vimal Korpal is a performer, theatre maker, radio producer and presenter. He has worked extensively in theatre and radio for over fifteen years, including at the Birmingham REP and for BBC Birmingham. Vimal has appeared in a number of short films, corporate pieces, and BBC One’s Doctors.
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April Nerissa Hudson is a performer. She has appeared in Graycon (2017), Man Like Mobeen (2017) and Doctors (2000).
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Aizah is a Midlands based versatile performer. Working from Theatre to Screen, Circus and Voiceover; she is a passionate character artist who loves to explore new ways to tell a story.
Aizah is a Midlands-based performer of Pakistani heritage. She is a passionate character artist who loves to explore new ways of telling stories. With experience across stage, screen, circus, puppeteering, voice and movement she is a versatile performer always ready to test the limits of her toolbox. Recent credits include: Phoenix Rise (BBC), The Many Lives of PET#1 (Stans Café), Silence (European Tour), A Christmas Carol (Albany Theatre), Life of Pi (UK & International Tour), Milesians – The Coming of the Gaels, A Winter’s Tale (Poland). -
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Katy Rose Bennett is a Birmingham-based singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer and arranger. She has been creating her earthy, intimate folk music for over 20 years, telling stories of love, despair, connection and community. She has released 7 albums to critical acclaim with plays on BBC Radio 2, 3 & 6 and RTE 1, and she has toured the UK and beyond. In recent years, Katy has developed her work collaborating across art forms, creating music for dance, spoken-word and theatre.
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Rochi Rampal is a Birmingham-based theatremaker, writer and performer. She has worked and toured with regional, national and international theatre organisations as both an actor and a scriptwriter, such as Upstart Theatre, Pathos München, Highways Athens, The Other Way Works, Stan’s Cafe Theatre Company, Rasa Theatre, Oxfordshire Theatre Company, Women & Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and Creation Theatre. She has also performed for BBC Ragdoll and BBC Asian Network in their TV and Radio productions.
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Autumn 2024 Tour
‘Wild’ toured in 8 community venues across the Black Country from 16th - 26th October 2024:
Brierley Hill Civic - Wednesday 16th October
Wednesbury Library - Thursday 17th October
Glasshouse Arts Centre, Stourbridge - Friday 18th October
Gatis Community Space, Wolverhampton - Saturday 19th October
The Dorothy Parkes Centre, Smethwick - Sunday 20th October
Bromwich Hall, West Bromwich - Wednesday 23rd October
Central Library, West Bromwich - Thursday 24th October
Aaina Community Hub, Walsall - Saturday 26th October
Audience members were able to use their mobile devices to receive captions during the show via the The Difference Engine - a tool that enables audiences to receive captions on their own smartphones and tablets via a free app. Touch tours for visually impaired audience members covering the set, costumes and performers took place before the evening performances at Wednesbury Library, Glasshouse Arts Centre, Dorothy Parkes Centre and Central Library, West Bromwich. The performance at Central Library, West Bromwich was also BSL interpreted.
Autumn 2025 Tour
Following the success of the 2024 tour of the Black Country, ‘Wild’ toured nationally in Autumn 2025. This national tour took our work to wider audiences across the rural touring network, demonstrating the universal resonance of local stories and celebrating the shared experiences that connect us.
8th October - Thimblemill Library, B67 5RJ
9th October - Escleyside Hall, HR2 0PT
10th October - Beckbury Village Hall, TF11 9DG
11th October - Dorothy Parkes Centre, B67 6EH
17th October - Doe Lea Resource Centre, S44 5PD
19th October - Neuadd Dyfi, LL35 0NR
22nd October - The Basement, TR13 8RT
24th October - Jubilee Hall, TQ13 8DP
25th October - Black Torrington Village Hall, EX21 5PR
26th October - Broadmayne Village Hall, DT2 8EW
29th October - Wootton Fitzpaine Village Hall, DT6 6ND
30th October - Broadwell Evergreen Hall, GL16 7BN
31st October - Norton Sub Hamdon Village Hall, TA14 6SF
7th November - The Rainhall Centre, BB18 5DR
8th November - Vicars Cross Community Centre, CH3 5LP
12th November - The Talbot Theatre, SY13 2BY
13th November - Halton Mill, LA2 6ND
14th November - The Globe Hall, CA7 1EA
15th November - Gilsland Village Hall, CA8 7BE
16th November - Arnside Educational Institute, LA5 0DF
20th November - Stade Hall Spun Glass Theatre, TN34 3FJ
21st November - Tramshed, SE18 6ES
22nd November - The Criterion Bluetown, ME12 1RW
23rd November - The Astor Community Theatre, CT14 9EA
27th November - Framingham Earl High School, NR14 7QP
28th November - Shouldham Village Hall, PE33 0DD
29th November - Old School Hall, PE28 5UY
The tour was a part of Create Tour Connect (CTC); a new innovative partnership project commissioning, developing and touring theatre across the rural touring network in England. Led by Applause, CTC addresses the lack of suitable performance work for contemporary rural audiences. It supports the development and touring of new work and connects this with a network of partners dedicated to small-scale touring, maximising its reach and impact.
Audience Feedback
“Awesome, intense, real, honest, gripping, brave, fun, moving, shocking, memorable, vivid, vibrant!”
“What a really lovely experience this has been. Brilliant storytelling and singing.”
“I really enjoyed the way the scenes wove between stories, anecdotes and journeys, it was great.”
“Triggered visceral emotion and reminded me how wonderful it is to be alive and to be a creature in such a powerful world!”
“For just over an hour we were transported out of the very small space by every word that was spoken and every note that was made. We left the building absolutely buzzing!”
“The show succeeds brilliantly in taking us to the wild places, the wild nature of life, weather, flora and fauna. A brilliant show on a deceptively simple theme.”
“The sound and imaginary scenes they create are awesome. Rich, intense, intimate, funny, heart warming and profound - thank you.”
“It gave me a sense of wonder. Loved the scope of wild.”
“Loved the varied stories, the harmonies and the energy of the actors.”
“Fabulous as always. Acting was great - very intimate and powerful.”
Press
Eastern Eye: Rochi Rampal’s ‘Wild’ blurs the line between reality and imagination
British Theatre Guide: Black Country experiences detailed in new Wild show
Express & Star: Black Country folk invited to get 'Wild' in new production
WeekendNotes Review: Black Country Touring presents Wild at Bromwich Hall
Wild is a Black Country Touring production. Photography by Anand Chhabra.
